About

Management Team

Dr. Schall is the founder of our company and has served as our President, Chief Executive Officer and Director since we commenced operations in 1997 and was appointed Chairman of the Board in April 2012. From 1993 to 1997, Dr. Schall worked at the DNAX Research Institute, a division of Schering-Plough Corporation. Prior to his work at the DNAX Research Institute, he worked as a scientist with Genentech, Inc. Dr. Schall participated in some of the earliest discoveries of chemokine system function and activities. Dr. Schall cloned one of the first chemokines to be discovered, and provided some of the earliest data for the existence of the previously unknown family of molecules which later came to be called the chemokines. Dr. Schall’s laboratories have been responsible for the discovery or co-discovery of a large percentage of all known chemokine receptors. Dr. Schall received his B.S. in biology from Northern Illinois University and his Ph.D. in cancer biology from Stanford University.

Mr. Fairey has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer since January 2018. From 2001 to 2017, Mr. Fairey served in numerous positions with Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd., most recently as President of Actelion Pharmaceuticals US (2013-2017), where he led Actelion’s sales, marketing, medical, access and regulatory activities. Prior to this, Mr. Fairey served as Head of Actelion’s Asia Pacific Region (2008-2012) and President of Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Canada (2003-2008). Mr. Fairey started his pharmaceutical career with Parke-Davis US, where he held various positions on the commercial side of the business. Mr. Fairey received his BS, in Biology from the University of Oregon and his M.B.A. from Saint Mary’s College, California.

Ms. Kanaya has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer since October 2016 and as Secretary since February 2006. From January 2006 to October 2016, Ms. Kanaya served as our Senior Vice President, Finance, and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining us, Ms. Kanaya served as Senior Vice President, Finance, and Chief Financial Officer at Kosan Biosciences Inc., from 1999 to 2005. Prior to this, she served in financial management positions at SUGEN, Inc., from 1994 to 1999, most recently as Vice President, Finance, and Treasurer. Ms. Kanaya also served as Controller with high technology companies and as a public accountant with KPMG. Ms. Kanaya received her B.S. in business administration from the University of California, Berkeley.

Markus J. Cappel, Ph.D.Chief Business Officer and Treasurer

Dr. Cappel has served as our Chief Business Officer since February 2007, and Treasurer since August 2004. From March 2003 to February 2007, he served as our Senior Vice President of Corporate and Business Development. From October 2001 to March 2003, Dr. Cappel served as our Vice President of Business Development. Prior to joining us, Dr. Cappel served as Vice President of Business Development at Alkermes, Inc., from 1998 to 2001. Prior to this, he served as Director of Business Development with Millennium Pharmaceuticals as well as in various business development roles at Cygnus, Inc. Dr. Cappel received his B.S. in pharmacy and his Ph.D. in pharmaceutics from J.W. Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Dr. Cappel also completed postdoctoral studies in pharmaceutics at the University of Michigan.

Jan L. Hillson, M.D.Senior Vice President, Drug Development

Dr. Hillson has served as our Senior Vice President, Drug Development since November 2016, bringing two decades experience in academic rheumatology research, patient care and teaching and more than a decade directing strategy and operations related to clinical research and translational medicine within our industry. From 2013 to 2016, Dr. Hillson served as Vice President of Clinical and Translational Research at Momenta Pharmaceuticals; from 2007 to 2013 she served as Senior Director at ZymoGenetics/Bristol Myers Squibb, leading Clinical Research and Pharmacology for projects in immunology and immuno-virology. Prior to 2007, Dr. Hillson served in several positions, including Medical Director at Xcyte Therapies, Clinical Faculty at Harvard Medical School (Cambridge Health Alliance), Assistant Professor at University of Washington, and Division Head at Virginia Mason Medical Center providing consultative and direct patient care, with a sub-specialty in uncommon autoimmune diseases, including vasculitis, systemic lupus, scleroderma and myositis. Dr. Hillson received her M.D. from Stanford School of Medicine, an M.S. from the California Institute of Technology and Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and a B.S. from Michigan State University.

Rajinder Singh, Ph.D.Senior Vice President, Research

Dr. Singh has served as our Senior Vice President, Research since May 2016. Prior to joining us, Dr. Singh held various management positions at Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Rigel). Most recently and for the past ten years, Dr. Singh was Vice President, Chemistry at Rigel, where he oversaw the advancement of several drug candidates from discovery to clinical development, which included the filing of numerous Investigational New Drug applications in the areas of immunology and oncology. Prior to joining Rigel, Dr. Singh was a lead chemist at Chiron Corporation from 1994 to 1998. From 1992 to 1994, Dr. Singh was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Eli Lilly & Company. Dr. Singh received his Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry from the University of Oxford.